Refrigeration system supports



March 19, 1963 ca. w. SCHMANKE, JR, ETAL 3,081,603

REFRIGERATION SYSTEM SUPPORTS Filed Aug. 18, 1961 1N VEN TOR-S GEORGE W. SCHMANKE, JR. JOHN V.D. SOUTHWORTH JR.

ATTORNEY United States Patent ()fiice 3,081,603 Patented Mar. 19, 1963 3,081,603 REFRIGERATION SYSTEM SUPPORTS George W. Schmanlke, In, North Syracuse, and .lohn V. D. Southworth, Jr., Syracuse, N.Y., assignors to Carrier Corporation, Syracuse, N.Y., a corporation of Delaware Filed Aug. 18, 1961, Ser. No. 132,351 8 Claims. (Cl. 62-77) This invention relates to refrigeration systems, more particularly to a novel construction for a supporting member or rack for a refrigeration system in which the supporting member functions both to support a refrigeration system component, and as a storage container for refrigerant.

With the development of relatively large refrigeration systems for use in connection with industrial, commercial, or military installations the refrigeration system equipment must be securely supported in as compact an area as possible. The desirability of keeping the supporting structure to a minimal volume and weight con sistent with the attainment of necessary strength requirements is of course obvious. It is generally found that the use of pipe members joined together by standard pipe couplings to provide a rack structure upon which the refrigeration system components are supported often serves to attain the necessary supporting function in a simple eificient manner by the utilization of standard structural components, namely pipes, which have the necessary rigidity and strength, and are at the same time easily handled, relatively light in weight, and occupy a relatively small volume.

' In most large refrigeration system installations, some storage facility, commonly referred to as an accumulator or receiver is incorporated in the refrigerant system to retain the refrigerant pending the need therefor in the refrigeration system. Thus in order to attain efiicient evaporator operation an accumulator is generally employed to keep the evaporator coils flooded, and to separate the liquid refrigerant from the vapor fed to the compressor. The accumulator is arranged at the discharge end of the condenser to receive liquid refrigerant before it is fed into the evaporators. Similarly the discharge of the evaporators before it is returned to the compressor may be fed through the accumulator so that the liquid refrigerant can be separated from the refrigerant vapors.

A receiver is generally employed to hold condensed refrigerant before it is needed in the evaporator. It serves primarily as a storage chamber for any excess refrigerant in the system.

Since refrigerant storage chambers, whether in the form of accumulators or receivers serve to increase the volumetric requirements of the equipment, it is of course desirable to minimize their need. This however, often results in undesirable inefliciencies, since the care required in designing a refrigeration system of precise capacity is often unwarranted by the economies of a situation.

' It is with the above problems and desiderata in mind, that the present means have been evolved, means including both method and apparatus implementing the provi sion of refrigerant storage facilities in a refrigeration system and simultaneously implementing the provision of a supporting structure for the refrigeration system components.

It is accordingly a primary object of this invention to provide improved supporting means for the components of a refrigeration system.

Another object of the invention is to provide means serving the twofold function of implementing refrigerant storage, and supporting refrigeration system components in a rigid secure operative position.

A further object of the invention is to provide improved means for reducing the space requirements of refrigeration equipment.

It is also an object of the invention to provide a novel refrigeration equipment supporting structure which may be used for refrigerant storage.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a novel method for utilizing a conventional pipe rack structure as a refrigerant storage chamber.

These and other objects of the invention which will become hereafter apparent are attained for forming a refrigeration equipment supporting rack of a plurality of conventional hollow pipe members joined together by conventional pipe couplings and spaced to support the components of any given refrigeration system. The pipes are coupled to form a closed chamber in their interior. The pipe joints are sealed with an appropriate sealant or welded so as to withstand the refrigerant pressures encountered within the given refrigeration system supported. An inlet connection to the chamber in the interior of the pipe rack from the refrigeration system is provided; and a discharge connection from the chamber to the refrigeration system is provided whereby refrigerant may flow between the refrigeration system and the chamber. If the chamber in the forming pipes rack is to be utilized as a receiver, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that the inlet connection extends between the outlet from the condenser of the refrigeration system, and the discharge connection extends from the rack to some point in the refrigeration system before the evaporator. In order to insure flow between the condenser and the receiver, a vent pipe or equalizer is extended between the top of the receiver and the top of the condenser so that the vapor pressures of both will be substantially equal whereby the flow of liquid refrigerant may take place therebetween. The amount of refrigerant in the chamber may be determined by coupling a liquid level gauge to the rack.

An important feature of the invention resides in the fact that conventional pipe sections are employed for forming a rack which serves the twofold function of supporting refrigeration system equipment and providing a refrigerant storage chamber.

Another important feature resides in the teaching of the use of supporting elements as fluid flow paths.

The specific details of the invention and their mode of functioning will he made most manifest and particularly pointed out in clear, concise and exact terms in conjunction with the accompanying illustrative drawings, wherein:

The FIGURE is a perspective schematic view of a water chiller embodying the instant invention.

Referring now more particularly to the drawings, like numerals will be employed to designate like parts.

i As seen in the embodiment of the invention illustrated in the FIGURE, a water chiller is shown. The invention may be employed in conjunction with a variety of other refrigeration system installations, however it will be here described in connection with a water chiller.

The water 'ller includes a compression refrigeration system comprising a compressor 1.2., a Water cooled heat exchanger condenser 15, an evaporator 16 shown by dotted lines within the lower cylinder of the drawing, all arranged in a closed fluid circuit through which refrigerant may flow.

Water chillers of the type in which the instant invention is embodied are often utilized on shipboard to pro vide air conditioning, and refrigeration. The condensers utilized in the refrigeration systems of water chillers are of the type such as water cooled condenser 15 formed of a cylindrical jacket with a serpentine of refrigerant let line 27. The water lines 18 and .19, and 26 and 27 will be understood as arranged to permit maximum efficiency of heat exchange between the water and the refrigerant. Within water chilling and refrigerant evaporating heat exchanger 25 refrigerant evaporator coil 16 is positioned which may be in the form of a serpentine or any other suitable conduit arrangement. The condenser heat exchanger and the chiller heat exchanger are supported on a rack structure 30 [formed of ho'llow piping. The rack 30 may be formed of any suitable configuration such as to provide for efficient support of the refrigeration system components, heat exchangers 15 and 25 being illustrated by way of example. In the illustrated embodiment of the invention the rack is formed with four spaced uprights 31, 3'2, 33 and 34, two upper cross pipes 35 and 36, and .four lower cross pipes 37, 38, 39 and 40. A tie piece pipe 41 connects top cross pieces 35 and 36. These upper pipes, cross pipes and tie piece pipe are connected into a unitary structure by the use of appropriate conventional pipe fitting techniques such that the uprights, cross pipes and tie piece are conjoined into a closed fluid system. The interior of the connected pipes forms a chamber. This chamber is utilized as a refrigerant receiver or accumulator as will become hereafter apparent.

The chamber within supporting rack 30 is coupled to the aforedescri'oed refrigeration system by connecting the condenser of heat exchanger 15 via condensed refrigerant line 42 through service valve 43 to refrigerant inlet connections 44 and 45 formed respectively on uprights 32 and 36 of rack 30. A discharge connection 47 extending from a lower cross piece such as 39 connects to liquid line 48 which leads via expansion valve 49 to the evaporator 16 in the chiller heat exchanger 25.

A liquid level gauge 50 is coupled to one of the uprights such as 3-2 in a conventional fashion to indicate the liquid level within the chamber formed in the interior of rack 30.

Extending from tie piece 41 to condenser 115 is a valved vent line having a bypass 56 and release valve 57 for balancing refrigerant pressures between the condenser and the receiver chamber within rack 30 so as to insure refrigerant flow of the condensed refrigerant into the receiver as desired.

The chiller evaporator heat exchanger 25 is supported with respect to the rack by the use of a sheet metal plate 60 formed with a cusp to accommodate the cylindrical heat exchanger 25. A similar cusp shaped sheet metal plate is suitably secured to condenser heat exchanger 15 to support same on the rack structure.

Operation The aforedescribed structure is to be taken as illustrative of a typical structure in which the instant invention may be embodied. As described, a water chiller is disclosed utilizing a conventional compression refrigeration system for the cooling of water.

As will be understood by those skilled in the art, refrigerant vapor is compressed in compressor '12 and fed to condenser heat exchanger 15. In passing through condenser heat exchanger 15 the refrigerant is placed in heat exchange relationship with the water fed into heat exchanger 15 via water inlet line 18. The compressed refrigerant condenses in heat exchanger 15 giving off heat in the process which is taken up by the water flowing through lines 18 and 19. The condensed refrigerant which is normally in excess of the amount required to elfect water cooling in the chiller is fed from the condenser via line 42 through inlet connecting means 44 and 45 into the chamber formed within the interior of rack 30. The liquid refrigerant within the receiver chamber within rack 30 is drawn off via outlet connection 4-7 through liquid line 48 to the evaporator 16 in chiller heat exchanger '25. In passing through liquid line 4-8, the liquid refrigerant is passed through expansion valving 49 whence the refrigerant evaporation commences which is completed in evaporator 16. In evaporating, the refrigerant absorbs heat [from the water flowing through lines 26 and 27 of chiller heat exchanger 25.

Since the liquid within the chamber in rack 30 produces a vapor pressure above its surface which may exceed the refrigerant pressure in the condenser, in order to insure refrigerant flow from the condenser it is necessary to relieve any pressure buildups Within the accumulator of rack 30. This is accomplished by connecting the accumulator chamber through vent line 55 to the condenser 15.

It is thus seen that by the coupling of aconventional rack structure, which would normally be provided for support of the refrigeration system components, to the refrigeration system, the rack serves the twofold function of supporting the structure, and providing a refrigerant receiver or accumulator, thus minimizing space requirements and promoting economy.

The above disclosure has been given by way of illustration and elucidation, and not by way of limitation, and it is desired to protect all embodiments of the herein disclosed inventive concept within the scope of the ap pended claims.

We claim:

1. In a refrigeration system, a supporting element for the components of said refrigeration system, said sup porting element comprising: relatively rigid hollow means of a structural strength sufficient to support the refrigeration system components; inlet connecting means between the interior of said rigid means and the refrigeration system permitting the passage of refrigerant from said refrigeration system to said rigid means; and discharge connecting means between said rigid means and said refrigeration system for discharging any refrigerant in said rigid means to said refrigeration system.

2. Means of reducing the space requirements for installation of a refrigeration system normally supported on a rack formed of pipe members, said means comprising: closure means forming a closed fluid system of the pipe members; inlet connecting means coupling the closed fluid system within the pipe members to a point on the refrigeration system where liquid refrigerant is flowing; outlet connecting means between the closed fluid system within the pipe members and the refrigeration system at a point where liquid refrigerant is being vaporized, whereby the rack serves the twofold function of supporting the refrigeration system components and providing a storage facility for refrigerant.

3. A method of reducing the space requirements for installation of a refrigeration system normally supported on a rack formed of pipe members, said method comprising the steps of: sealing off the pipe members forming the rack to provide a closed chamber within the pipes; forming an inlet connection between the sealed chamber and the refrigeration system at a point in the refrigeration system where liquid refrigerant is flowing; and providing a discharge connection between the chamber and the refrigeration system at a point where liquid refrigerant is being vaporized, whereby the rack serves the twofold function of supporting the refrigeration system components and providing a storage facility for refrigerant.

4. A method as in claim 3 in which: a connection is made between an upper part of the chamber formed within the rack pipes and the refrigeration system at a point adjacent the portion of the refrigeration system where said inlet connection is made, whereby pressures in the chamber and the refrigeration system will be equalized to implement -fiow of liquid refrigerant from the refrigeration system to the chamber.

5. A rack for supporting the components of a refrigeration system, said rack comprising: a plurality of hollow pipe members adapted to lie beneath the lowest portion of the lowest supported refrigeration system component; a plurality of upstanding extending hollow pipe members connected to said first named plurality of pipe members, said upright pipe members secured to the refrigeration system components to support same; a refrigerant inlet connection to the interior of said first named and second plurality of pipe members; and a refrigerant outlet connection from said pipe members to the refrigerant system, whereby the interior of said rack structure may function as a refrigerant storage structure to provide an accumulator or receiver for the refrigerant system.

6. A rack structure as in claim 5 in which a liquid level gauge is secured to one of said plurality of upwardly extending pipe members to indicate the liquid level within the chamber formed in the interior of said pipe members.

7. A rack structure as in claim 5 in which a vent line is extended from a topmost part of said rack structure to the supported refrigerant system, whereby pressures within the system and the chamber formed Within the pipes are equalized.

8. A water chiller comprising: a refrigerant condenser; a Water chilling refrigerant evaporating heat exchanger coupled to said condenser to permit the flow of condensed refrigerant from the condenser to the evaporator of said heat exchanger; a plurality of hollow pipe members conjoined into a continuous flow path and supporting said condenser and said heat exchanger; an inlet connection between said condenser and the interior of said pipe members permitting the iiow of liquid refrigerant from the condenser into the pipes; and a discharge connection from the pipes to the evaporator of said heat exchanger permitting the passage of liquid refrigerant to the evaporator.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 992,589 Pownall May 16, 1911 2,370,190 Ralston Feb. 27, 1945 2,515,836 Preston July 18, 1950 2,568,783 Woodrufi Sept. 25, 1951 2,791,105 Aronson May 7, 1957 

3. A METHOD OF REDUCING THE SPACE REQUIREMENTS FOR INSTALLATION OF A REFRIGERATION SYSTEM NORMALLY SUPPORTED ON A RACK FORMED OF PIPE MEMBERS, SAID METHOD COMPRISING THE STEPS OF: SEALING OFF THE PIPE MEMBERS FORMING THE RACK TO PROVIDE A CLOSED CHAMBER WITHIN THE PIPES; FORMING AN INLET CONNECTION BETWEEN THE SEALED CHAMBER AND THE REFRIGERATION SYSTEM AT A POINT IN THE REFRIGERATION SYSTEM WHERE LIQUID REFRIGERANT IS FLOWING; AND PROVIDING A DISCHARGE CONNECTION BETWEEN THE CHAMBER AND THE REFRIGERATION SYSTEM AT A POINT WHERE LIQUID REFRIGERANT IS BEING VAPORIZED, WHEREBY THE RACK SERVES THE TWO- 